It’s part-memoir and part life lessons/advice from comedian Amy Poehler.

Can we be friends, Amy?? I mean, we don’t even have to be BEST friends but like I’d be down for being even like your second or third string friends.

I really like Amy Poehler and have heard good things about this one as far as celebrity memoir type books go so I decided to give this one a go. I really enjoyed reading it though I think, from all I’ve heard, I would have had an even BETTER experience if I had listened to the audio because apparently it’s amazing and she reads it and other comedians contribute to it as well (although in the book I loved some of the pages that had images on them which you obviously wouldn’t be able to SEE). It’s a really funny and wise book with warm personal memories and blunt wisdom.

I loved learning more about Amy’s career — how she started and what her path looked like. I loved getting a sense of her family and friends and just learning more about her as a person. I also really enjoyed these behind the scenes look at Hollywood and the fame scene — it was so fascinating! I especially loved learning who has inspired her and helped her along the way. I think fans of Amy Poehler will definitely love getting to know her on a more personal level. I know I definitely did!

I also really enjoyed that, in addition to being a memoir, it was littered with life lessons, advice and just really great insights/observations about life. I think she is an extraordinary woman and I love how real she is in this book. Loved so much of what she had to say! She’s living such a fun, crazy and authentic life and it’s inspiring. This was a good reminder just to have fun with life!

I can’t say it was a favorite book by any means or that I walked away with crazy life-changing insight (though I did walk away like HELL YEAH STRONG, FEMINIST LADIES DOING AWESOME THINGS) but it was really enjoyable to “get to know” a celebrity you really like a bit better and see how she’s risen in comedy which has always been so male dominated which is so inspiring.

Some of my favorite quotes:

1. “Good for her! Not for me. That is the motto women should constantly repeat over and over again. Good for her! Not for me.” <—- good life advice, ladies! Amy on women who make different life choices than us but she was specifically talking about childbirth and how she chose drugs rather than natural childbirth.

2. “Telling me to relax or smile when I’m angry is like bringing a birthday cake into an ape sanctuary. You’re just asking to get your nose and genitals bitten off.” FOREVER LOLS but so true! I hate that!

3. “You have to be where you are to get where you need to go.”

4. “A person’s tragedy does not make up their entire life. A story carves deep grooves into our brains each time we tell it. But we aren’t one story. We can change our stories.”

5. “Change is the only constant. Your ability to navigate and tolerate change and its painful uncomfortableness directly correlates to your happiness and general well-being. See what I just did there? I saved you thousands of dollars on self-help books. If you can surf your life rather than plant your feet, you will be happier.”

6. “The only way we can get by in this world is through the help we receive from others. No one can do it alone, no matter how great the machines are.” <— LOVED her whole essay on technology and being in the moment. It was everything I’ve been thinking lately but she was so poignant and spot on in saying it.

+ writing, entertainment value, Amy’s openness– some bits I kind of skimmed through because I wasn’t as interested

Re-readability: Probably not though I would be inclined to audiobook it from the library in the future.Would I buy a copy for my collection? No (I only keep books I would reread or are favorites).

fans of Amy Poehler, people who want to read an actually good celebrity-written book

I highly recommend if you are a fan of Amy Poehler — it’s a good mix of memoir and life wisdom and insight. I felt like I got to know her better as a person and came out respecting and loving her even more. It’s funny, charming and wise — much like Amy herself — and I appreciate how candid she was. I’d recommend maybe doing it on audio unlike me because I’ve heard it’s an even better experience.

* Have you read this one? What did you think? Similar or different from me? I would LOVE to hear regardless!
*If you haven’t read it, does it feel like something you’d be into?
What other celebrity written books have you enjoyed?